<p>Wounded</a> Iraq veteran jeered for speaking in Columbia University ROTC debate - NYPOST.com</p>
<p>I will never understand how people who claim to be so open-minded can be so ignorant. I really wonder what these people have experienced because their naivety and idealism about the way the real world works outside of their safe ivory tower is sickening. Even if you do somehow agree with them, I’m sure the soldier they booed was single-handedly responsible for the war (<em>rolls eyes</em>).</p>
<p>pancakes…I agree with you completely!! As a 20 year veteran of the military, I served in order to protect the rights and the way of life of every US citizen, even the amazingly ignorant, uninformed, and disrespectful ones. I have no issue with people who disagree with their nation being at war, it’s their right to have their own opinion and I salute them for standing up for their views…as long as it’s done appropriately. To disrespect and belittle a veteran, especially a wounded vet who has sacrificed so much for THEM whether they realize it or not, is disgusting!! Regardless of how you feel about the decision to enter into a conflict, it’s horrible to not support the brave men and women who put their lives on the line every day in prosecuting that war. We have become a nation of “sound bite fed” open-mouthed bottom feeders who only know what they see on CNN or MSNBC or Fox News. I’d love to see these morons several years from now once they see how the real world actually works and show them how embarassing their present actions really are.</p>
<p>I hope this isn’t too controversial, but while I don’t agree with booing and publicly humiliating veterans (I don’t think this is wise to do to anyone you don’t personally know), I do think the veteran worship in this country is becoming a bit out of control. I know at least two people in the army who joined for the money - that’s not very noble. I know another ***hole who joined for completely immoral and disgusting reasons, which I won’t mention. However, I can also admit that there are definitely people who join with good intentions. My sample is purely anecdotal. My point is: don’t disrespect someone without knowing them, but don’t worship them either.</p>
<p>I also disagree that current vets (in Iraq) sacrificed a lot specifically for us, but that is not entirely their fault; it is also a discussion that is inappropriate for a college forum in which most people are really too young to have well-informed views (including myself). I certainly wouldn’t disrespect them, though.</p>
<p>Also, if you’re a young student, you probably shouldn’t be talking about the “real world” (not aimed at anyone specific).</p>
<p>Overall, disappointing article - being rude and disrespectful does not help either side.</p>
<p>It is not meant to stir up a debate about the war. It is about the immaturity and naivety of students at one of the most highly regarded schools in the nation. I find it disappointing.
I think you have a somewhat valid point in the “veteran worshiping” in some circles in our society, but regardless of whether they do it for good intentions, for money, or even for a leg on on top MBA admissions to get into IBD at the associate level, a veteran who was severely wounded in battle protecting the country deserves respect, regardless of your position on the war.</p>
<p>I agree; I respect everyone I meet in real life unless they prove I shouldn’t. A veteran is no different. I (non-military citizen) really know nothing about what is really going on with the Iraq war, and to assume what the media reports is completely the truth and use that as a justification for disrespect is foolish.</p>
<p>It’s sad that students at an ivy league weren’t taught to think more critically.</p>
<p>This is obviously at a completely different and incomparable level. Think about the janitors that clean up the dude at 4am. They are certainly doing it for the money, and I think that the school is wasting money hiring so many of them and having them vacuum every night (honestly I see them every time I stay past 4am and the sound of the vacuums annoy the shyt out of me, and I think cleaning every other night would be sufficient). However, regardless of my disagreement of the fact that they have to be paid to clean every night (and if I had my way I would certainly change that), I still appreciate the fact that they are doing a job for the student community. I thank them everytime I see them coming over to my computer stall and pick up the trash around, and I certainly would not jeer or harass them just because I don’t think they should be there every night in first place.</p>
<p>Columbia has every right not to allow any ROTC programs on it’s campus. It is a private university and can do as it chooses in this matter. However as a taxpayer, I would like the U.S. government to deny any federal funding/research dollars to flow into that school. Let’s see if Columbia likes it when the government disses them and the money dries up! I know it’s just wishful thinking, but this kind of garbage really ticks me off. Lee Bollinger you should be ashamed! You have allowed despotic crackpots like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at Columbia to spew his venom, and yet you won’t allow an American institution like the ROTC to be on campus. You obviously left The University of Michigan for “redder” pastures.</p>
<p>I was ready to jump on the bash the Ivy student bandwagon, but then I paused when I saw the source. The NYPost is a News Corp/Rupert Murdoch owned property. The Post, like FOX News, another News Corp holding, has a decidedly conservative bias and both have made it a habit of referring to Ivy Colleges as “bastions of East-Coat Liberal elitism”.</p>
<p>So while I’m sure there was some booing and hissing at this event, I’m also wondering if the Post chose to emphasize those events to further their own agenda - it’s easier to dismiss dissent if you can demonize your opponent. </p>
<p>So I think I’m going to browse the internet to see if there is another report about this meeting. I suspect that a news story published by a decidedly liberal media source will paint a very different picture. Regrettably we live in a world where the truth is somehow fungible; I think I’d like to hear a different version before I start condemning all Columbia students.</p>
<p>^
[Anthony</a> Maschek, Wounded War Vet, Heckled At Columbia University ROTC Hearing](<a href=“HuffPost - Breaking News, U.S. and World News | HuffPost”>Anthony Maschek, Wounded War Vet, Heckled At Columbia University ROTC Hearing | HuffPost College)</p>
<p>Is the huffington rag, one of the most towards-the-left publication in america, a liberal enough source for you?</p>
<p><a href=“Badly-wounded Iraq veteran is heckled by fellow students in debate over military ban | Daily Mail Online”>Badly-wounded Iraq veteran is heckled by fellow students in debate over military ban | Daily Mail Online;
<p>how bout a paper outside of the US?</p>
<p>Here ya go vinceh. The Huffington Post. About at liberal as you can get:</p>
<p>[Anthony</a> Maschek, Wounded War Vet, Heckled At Columbia University ROTC Hearing](<a href=“HuffPost - Breaking News, U.S. and World News | HuffPost”>Anthony Maschek, Wounded War Vet, Heckled At Columbia University ROTC Hearing | HuffPost College)</p>
<p>LOL. bearcats beat me by a minute.</p>
<p>I was off reading the Huff Post and looking for video when you gentlemen so kindly posted your links. Now that I’ve seen two stories from equally biased but politically opposite sources I’m prepared to condemn Columbia students (well, at least the ones at the meeting). But don’t miss my point, I believe that part of what drives students/people to treat Anthony Maschek the way they did is the public’s willingness to cede their thinking to a handful of media sources whether liberal or conservative.</p>
<p>P.S. rjk, when you say “redder pastures” is that “redder” in the liberal/Commie sense or in the Republican/GOP “red state” sense? See? ;)</p>
<p>Aside from the public humiliation, I don’t see anything wrong with what the students are doing. The military worship in this country is hideous and ROTC should be banned across the country.</p>
<p>“P.S. rjk, when you say “redder pastures” is that “redder” in the liberal/Commie sense or in the Republican/GOP “red state” sense?”</p>
<p>Well it is NYC. What do you think? ;-)</p>
<p>I never understood why students personally attack soliders and veterans. Soldiers are merely following orders. </p>
<p>Of course, one must remember that soldiers often protect their own country’s interests by destroying another country’s future, and nobody does it better than the world power of its time, starting with Alexander the Great, the Romans and the Ottomans, followed by the Colonials (the Dutch, the Spanish, the Portuguese, the French and the Brits) and now the US. </p>
<p>As such, soldiers should not be revered or treated as heroes, unless it is their country that has been attacked and they are dying/getting injured defending their own land. But treating soldiers poorly is inexcusable.</p>
<p>“Of course, one must remember that soldiers often protect their own country’s interests by destroying another country’s future”</p>
<p>Sometimes the other country is just plain bad Alexandre. Too many despotic regimes in this world that are holding otherwise good people down. When a people allow dangerous dictators to control them, these results are not unusual. </p>
<p>“As such, soldiers should not be revered or treated as heroes”</p>
<p>I disagree. If a soldier is doing an honorable job for his country, he/she should be revered. Notice I use the word, honorable. </p>
<p>…“unless it is their country that has been attacked and they are dying/getting injured defending their own land”</p>
<p>It’s a new world Alexandre. Terrorists have changed the level of the playing field. Thanks to countries like Iran for example, who support evil regimes in the middle/near/far east, we have to go out to find them at their place and to try to set up friendlier governments. Else we have another 9/11.</p>
<p>rjk, we both speak truths…depending on one’s point of view. You are American, I am Arab, naturaly, we are going to have very different opinions of what is evil and what is not.</p>
<p>Disclaimer: none of what the civilians say (including me) in this thread may be true, unless they’re involved in the situation firsthand. Most of us probably get our info from the media/wikileaks/etc. Friendly debate. :)</p>
<p>rjkofnovi, I just do not think that is true. I think the US has a big hand in creating its own enemies, and afterward justifies it via fear mongering. Despotic regimes aren’t nice, but too many “enemy” civilians have been unjustly killed/tortured (including children - sad) by the US, and the US has been linked to helping some of these regimes too many times to make me believe the US is justified in some of its wars.</p>
<p>Some parts of the world view US soldiers as terrorists. Some people join the army just to be able to kill people (personal experience).</p>
<p>I’m not saying all soldiers are bad, nor do they deserve the treatment shown to them by those students, but they most certainly should not be worshiped as they are by many citizens. It makes no sense to worship someone if you don’t know that person personally.</p>
<p>“I know at least two people in the army who joined for the money - that’s not very noble.”
How can they join for the money? The pay is very low.</p>